I’ve been involved with the Hawn Foundation, the educational charity set up by my great friend Goldie Hawn, for several years now. So when I was invited to attend their annual fundraiser in Los Angeles last weekend I decided to throw caution to the wind and accept.
After all it’s such a good cause – and a full-on LA party is a hard thing to resist. As it was going to be a short break – I could only afford three days out of the office – we decided to book ourselves into the Beverly Hills Hotel.
The embodiment of Tinseltown glamour, with its iconic signage, Art Deco lobby and banana-leaf Martinique wallpaper, the iconic ‘Pink Palace’ is pure bliss.
To get the full-on experience we decided to have supper at the Polo Lounge, the favoured spot for generations of stars and Hollywood deal-makers. Our fellow diners were a super glamorous group that only the likes of Beverly Hills could produce.
The next morning I had a breakfast meeting with Hawn Foundation CEO Laurie Coots to discuss an upcoming event in London we are working on. Then it was time to hit Melrose Avenue for retail therapy courtesy of the likes of Fred Segal and Reformation, the hot new brand that everyone’s talking about.
In need of some much needed battery charging, we made tracks for Soho House on Sunset Boulevard where we enjoyed a seriously good lunch accompanied by spectacular views of the Hollywood Hills.
Back at the hotel we readied ourselves for the main event. Donning 60s-inspired outfits to keep inwith the party’s name – Goldie’s Love in for Kids – we headed to Ron Burkle’s Green Acres Estate in the heart of Beverly Hills.
As befits the home of a billionaire businessman it was a pretty spectacular affair, with its massive mansion set in eight acres of landscaped gardens that bore a passing resemblance to those at Versailles.
The evening was incredible. Brilliantly hosted by Chelsea Handler, whose new talk show debuts on Netflix this week, highlights included a moving performance by Kate Hudson of Prince’s Nothing Compares 2 U. At one point I found myself chatting to Sylvester Stallone who is exactly as you would imagine him. Then with Boy George working the decks, we danced until dawn.
Giving up a lie-in in favour of a shiny red convertible Mustang we set out for the Pacific Coast Highway where we ate a delicious lunch overlooking the beach and the ocean.
After a pleasant afternoon spent cruising the palm-tree lined streets of Beverly Hills, we ended up at Ago where we dined with another old friend, Britt Ekland. It was great to catch up as we haven’t seen much of each other since she moved to LA a couple of years back.
All too soon it was our last day. After a quick tour of some of the major sights – the Hollywood Walk of Fame included – we drove to Manhattan Beach for lunch with friends. Following a leisurely stroll on the boardwalk we drove to LAX and back to reality.
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